Prison photographs, or mug shots, hold a unique place in portrait photography. While many portraits are taken and published with the permission of the subject – and often highlight a person in a presentable state – there’s no choice for the subject in prison. Is a mug shot representative of someone in their most candid state? If not, it’s a least a prime low point for any individual. CameraWork gallery will be delving into the medium with their latest exhibit: Mug Shots from the collection of Nick Petula, curated by Bernie Andreoli.

Curator’s Statement:

The spark for this show began three years ago when my friend Nick Petula asked me to scan part of his collection of 100-year-old Scranton Police Department mug shots. They intrigued me. I couldn’t get the images, descriptions of the criminals and description of crimes out of my head. The images are wonderful examples of basic informational portraits yet they appear to have been made by a true photographic artist. The frontal image with an expressionless stare and piercing eyes and the casual profile belie the reason for the images to be made. A meld of art, history and the foibles of man.

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